


Jinkies!

by meils121



Category: Leverage
Genre: Fluff and Humor, Gen, Scooby Doo References
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-09
Updated: 2020-01-09
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:40:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22187986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meils121/pseuds/meils121
Summary: Eliot thinks this place might actually be haunted.  There’s no other explanation he can think of, at least not at three in the morning, after a strange blue figure appears in his room and attempts to smother him with his pillow.  Now he’s being chased through the halls of this damn mansion and strongly tempted to call Hardison over comms and tell him to put chase music on.Just as he thinks that, the door to the room Hardison’s in flies open and Hardison staggers out.  “What the -”  He starts to ask, until Eliot ducks under his arm and into his room and Hardison catches sight of the weird blue guy chasing him.  “Oh.  Okay.  Haunted.”  He slams the door.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 54
Collections: Leverage Secret Santa Exchange (Mod Gifts)





	Jinkies!

**Author's Note:**

  * For [A_Taupe_Fox](https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Taupe_Fox/gifts).



Parker is a good mastermind. One of the best, actually. She learned well at Nate’s side and adds her own abilities to that knowledge. Eliot knows that out of all of them, she’s without question the best choice to lead the team. She’s got a ruthless streak that pairs nicely with a strong sense of justice and the ability to take a problem and turn it into a solution. 

The problem, of course, is that Parker is still Parker. Nate’s plans could be strange. Parker’s can be absolutely bizarre.

“We can name it the Clue Car.” Parker says one afternoon, having just pulled up in front of the brew pub in what is actually a van not unlike Hardison’s Lucille Three - if Lucille Three was bright purple and had an orange interior. 

“No. Uh-uh. Babe, this is like, the worst idea ever. Tell me again why this is happening?” Hardison demands.

“Stop being such a Shaggy, Hardison.” Parker scolds. “Ooh, how about the Van of Vengeance?”

“That sounds - dangerous.” Hardison says. “And if I’m Shaggy, who does that make you?”

That at least makes Parker pause for a minute. “Velma.” She decides at last. “Because I’m the one who figures things out.”

Eliot listens to the conversation with growing horror. “So that makes me…” He trails off, unwilling to actually say what Parker is thinking.

“Daphne, _duh._ ” Parker says cheerfully. “You’ve got cool hair and you always know how to get out of weird situations.”

Eliot rubs the side of his head. This is going to be a long job.

  
  


It turns out the Van of Vengeance - or, as Eliot privately calls it, Hell on Wheels - is as about as comfortable as it is attractive. So, not very. He’s crammed into the front passenger seat as Parker takes yet another turn too fast. Hardison grumbles in the back of the van as his computer goes sliding across the floor. And then - 

“Babe, how did you find us a job in an actual haunted mansion?” Hardison demands. 

Parker looks up at the looming structure before them and frowns. “It’s not actually haunted, scaredy-cat.” She says. “Someone’s just pretending it is so the family will sell the land. Some investor wants to build a theme park.”

Hardison shakes his head. “How did you find an actual Scooby Doo mystery?” He asks. “No. You know what? I don’t want to know. Let’s catch this phony ghost and get out of here.”

They’re greeted at the door by possibly the creepiest person Eliot has ever met, a man who introduces himself as the groundskeeper and who disappears with their bags into the depths of a poorly-lit room.

“Do the paintings’ eyes move?” Eliot asks. “Because this is ridiculous.”

Parker bounces on her toes. “It’s awesome.” She corrects. 

The owner of the house - a bed and breakfast that’s been in the family for generations - appears out of the shadows and beams at Parker. “I’m so glad you could make it!” She says. “I’m Hannah Daggerfield. Welcome to the Inn.” She looks around and drops her voice to a low whisper. “I really do need help. The haunting has become - unbearable.”

Parker pats her hand. “Don’t worry. We’ll get to the bottom of this.” 

  
  


Eliot thinks this place might actually be haunted. There’s no other explanation he can think of, at least not at three in the morning, after a strange blue figure appears in his room and attempts to smother him with his pillow. Now he’s being chased through the halls of this damn mansion and strongly tempted to call Hardison over comms and tell him to put chase music on. 

Just as he thinks that, the door to the room Hardison’s in flies open and Hardison staggers out. “What the -” He starts to ask, until Eliot ducks under his arm and into his room and Hardison catches sight of the weird blue guy chasing him. “Oh. Okay. Haunted.” He slams the door. 

  
  


Parker squints at the footprints on the ground. “Hmm.” She says. “You know what this means?”

“No.” Eliot says.

At the same time, Hardison says, “That we can write this place off as actually haunted?”

Parker shakes her head. “No.” She scolds. “It’s not haunted. I’ve got a plan.”

  
  


It takes several hours and more than a few of Hardison’s stranger inventions, but eventually Parker has set up a trap to end all traps. She and Hardison are currently arguing over who is going to be the bait. Eliot has to stifle a laugh when Parker finally promises that she won’t ask Hardison to repel down any building for three months. 

Maybe the trap is more elaborate than it needs to be, but in the end it works. Eliot pulls a mask off the trapped figure - and _really? A mask?_ \- to reveal the groundskeeper. Parker pats the groundskeeper on the head and tells him that the next time he wanted to betray someone, he needed to be better at it. 

Eliot’s a little bummed that the groundskeeper doesn’t call them meddling kids, if he’s being totally honest. 


End file.
